Synaptic Circuitry Revealed by Electrophysiology

Abstract

The receptive field properties of cortical neurons are shaped by synaptic inputs from a variety of sources. These sources include extrinsic input from subcortical regions and from both contralateral and ipsilateral areas of the cortex, and intrinsic inputs from the local axon collaterals of both pyramidal and nonpyramidal neurons. The anatomical evidence for these synaptic interactions was discussed in detail in Chapter 3; this chapter presents data obtained with electrophysiological methods that confirm and extend the results obtained by the neuroanatomical studies.